Constantly looking down at an angle places enormous strain on the spine and can result in permanent harm, according to a new report Are smartphones a pain in the neck?. According to new
Trang 1Constantly looking down at an angle places enormous strain
on the spine and can result in permanent harm, according to
a new report
Are smartphones a pain in the neck? According to new
research carried out by a US doctor, they are far worse – “text
neck” is becoming an epidemic that could lead to permanent
damage
The posture we adopt as we stare at our
phones, according to the surgeon,
increases the stress on the neck and can
cause excessive wear and tear that may
eventually require an operation to correct
it.
Dr Kenneth Hansraj says that although our heads weigh between
10lb and 12lb, as we angle them down to look at our phones, the
effective weight on our necks increases – at a 15-degree angle it is
about 27lb rising to 60lb at 60 degrees
With smartphone users now spending an average of two to four
hours a day with their heads dropped down, this results in “700 to
1,400 hours a year of excess stresses seen about the cervical
spine”, according to the research
Sammy Margo, from the UK’s Chartered Society of Physiotherapy,
says she thinks “text neck” is on the rise “People carry out their
lives by text, they get carried away and don’t realise they need a
break.”
This can cause “head pain, neck pain, arm pain and numbness,” she
points out, because “a normal standing position is facing forward
and all the curves of your neck and spine are in correct alignment
But when you drop your chin on to your chest for a long period you
are stretching the whole structure.”
“Eventually, in conjunction with a sedentary lifestyle, it could lead
to serious consequences.”
She advises people to use voice
recognition and make phone calls instead, and take regular breaks and alter their texting positions to avoid problems The NHS website’s Live Well section lists helpful exercises – including gently lengthening your neck upwards as you tuck in your chin
It is not the first time we have been warned about the dangers of
texting In 2011 it was blamed for an increase in pedestrian deaths
in the US, with some towns considering the introduction of fines for
people who text while walking “Blackberry thumb” – repetitive
strain injury caused by texting – has been joined by “iPad hand”,
aches and pains caused by swiping and typing on a tablet The list
of ailments expands with every new piece of technology
www.theguardian.com
November 24 th , 2014
The human head weighs about a dozen pounds But
as the neck bends forward and down, the weight on the cervical spine begins to increase At a 15-degree angle, this weight is about 27 pounds, at 30 degrees it’s 40 pounds, at 45 degrees it’s 49 pounds, and at
60 degrees it’s 60 pounds
Read the text carefully.
1- Say whether these statements are TRUE
or FALSE.
a) The excessive use of smartphones causes brain damage
b) People use their smartphones over 4 hours a day
c) “text neck” has been increasing
d) Sammy alerts people for the bad consequences their wrong use of smartphones can have on their health
e) Phone calls are less damaging than texting
This is the first time we are warned about the dangers of texting too much
g) “BlackBerry thumb” is another good example of the use of technology
h) “iPad hand” is the newest device
2- What do the underlined bold words refer to in the text?
a) they b) it c) their
d) she e) who
3- Now answer these questions.
a) Which illnesses caused by technological devices are mentioned in the text?
b) Do you know anyone with these problems? Who?
c) What should people do to avoid them?
d) Are you addicted to texting? How often do you text?
e) Why does texting cause health problems?
Do you have any health problem you associate with the use of technological devices? Which one?
4- Fill the gaps with the expressions: text neck / iPad hand / BlackBerry thumb / mobile phone elbow / numbness
a) If you’re sending lots of text messages, you may have one of the trendiest maladies – the
b) Chatting for extended periods of time can leave you with a _
c) A neck injury may cause you to feel _ anywhere along your arm or hand
d) is the term used to describe the injuries and pain caused from looking down at wireless devices for too long
e) To avoid the injury you shouldn’t use your iPad for long periods of time
Word bank:
ailment – disease, disorder, illness / a pain in the neck – annoying,
irritating / bend – move the top part of your body downwards /
numbness – insensibility, torpor / spine – row of bones down your back
/ strain – tension, pressure / stretch - become longer or bigger